Before you came 'round
by tofufuu
Summary: !AU The younger Uchiha dives himself into the mind of a strange girl at his bus stop. He counts the times they meet, and indulges himself further into her. Such a strange encounter for a strange combination of two minds. Hints of SasukexOC.


Dislcaimer: I don't want people to think I'm glamourizing smoking or drinking, so please understand that her character is for this one-shot's purpose.

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She stuck the cigarette between her lips, lighting it up with some old, rusty lighter. Inhale, exhale, a puff of smoke surrounded her face like a hazy curtain. She flicked the top of the damn thing, annoying the hell out of Sasuke. He glared at her, but continued to stay silent as they waited at the bus stop next to each other. Why couldn't she smoke away from here? _It was illegal, wasn't it?_ Not like it was any of his business, but it bothered him anyway.

The clinking continued, while she finished her last puff of smoke, throwing the butt on the ground and stomping it out with her foot."Did you want one, Sir?" Her voice was hoarse, almost husky. He gave her a glance from the side of his eyes, ignoring her as he listened to his music that comfortably plugged sanctuary into his ears. She chuckled, "Guess not."

Did he really seem like the type to attract crazy people?

The bus (thank god) came roaring up to the curb, Sasuke getting on, followed by the crazy girl. He sat all the way at the back, taking one of the window seats. The girl had also moved to the back, but took the window seat in the first row, hanging her legs over the ledge. Sasuke got a good look at her (unfortunately for him, of course). She had pitch-black hair like his, straight as a pin, most of it trying to stay in her braid. Her skin was quite pale, though a tinge darker than his own. She had strange looking gray eyes, kinda squinty if you asked the young Uchiha. She wasn't dressed particularly well, in fact, Sasuke though she was under-dressed for the weather. She was only wearing a pair of skinny pants and a bandeau-thingy underneath a leather jacket, her feet covered by some strange-looking combat boots. Of course, Sasuke's fashion terminology wasn't that great anyway.

A couple of stops later, a drunk had come on, wanting to sit next to her. "Oi, old man, I don't sit with your age group." She snarled, Sasuke pausing his music briefly to listen in.

The drunkard chuckled, taking a seat next to her anyway, throwing his arm around her shoulders. "Girls like you shouldn't talk like that, or you'll get punished." Sasuke smirked to himself. This was definitely karma's way of paying back for him when she disrupted his peaceful standing at the bus stop.

But what she did next totally threw him off.

She took him by the collar of his shirt, glaring at him. "If you don't scram now, I will castrate you with the heel of my shoe." She raised her fist, ready to punch the living lights out of him.

He smirked, shrugging. "A girl like you can't possibly hit that-" Her fist collided with his jaw, making a sickening crack-noise as he stumbling backward into the seats adjacent to them. He held his jaw, eyes wide with fear. "Y-You're crazy!" He got off conveniently as the bus rolled to a complete stop.

Sasuke snorted, the drunkard hitting the nail right on the head.

The crazy chick looked back, smirking at Sasuke. "Enjoying the show?" She slumped back into her seat, shoving some ear buds in, blasting some obnoxious electronic music.

That was the first time Sasuke encountered Eri.

Sasuke ought to find an alternative to his bus route, especially if he'd be seeing her again and again. She looked at him as he approached the bus stop, blinking her weird gray eyes, a cigarette hanging unlit in her mouth.

"You again, huh." She gave a crooked smile, Sasuke noticing the silver canine tooth in her mouth. "Fancy meeting you here once more." Sasuke slightly frowned to himself. _Really?_ Why wasn't he at least met with some good-looking girl with a moderate personality? God was really fooling with him.

"I know you don't talk much, heck, I don't think I've actually heard anything from you," She lit her damn cigarette. "But, can I at least know your name? I'm Eri." Sasuke turned his gaze away from her, as if she wasn't there at all. She leaned forward, Sasuke catching a whiff of her cigarette smoke and alcohol perfume combination, his noise scrunching up in distaste. She read out loud, "Uchiha… Sasuke…". Crap, he left his name tag on. _Note to self: Take the damn thing off after lab._

"Hey, isn't your brother Uchiha Itachi? That crazy smart kid who pretty much solved the world's algorithm?" She cackled at her own joke. "But seriously though, I wouldn't be surprised if he had the answer to this world's problem." She stomped on her cigarette butt again. "You're probably stuck in his shadows, but hey, I believe you'll end up doing something great with your life."

He didn't need some strange girl to tell him that.

The both of them got on the same bus once again, resuming to the same seats as last time, her legs hanging over the ledge again. She flicked the lighter in her hand, Sasuke growing agitated. It reminded him of how his best friend(?) would constantly click his pen while they were in a could also hear her music again through her ear buds. She reached into her bag and pulled out a thick paperback book. _This girl reads?_ What other surprises did she have up her sleeve? He was almost curious about the title she was reading, but he scoffed to himself. Why did it matter anyway?

That was the second time Sasuke encounter Eri.

Third time's the charm, right?

Hah, not for the younger Uchiha prodigy. God really did like to fuck with him, just as much as Naruto did. She was crouched on the floor, hugging her knees, her lighter in one hand and a bottle of some sort of alcohol in the other. _Pretty sure that was illegal too._

"Oi, Sasuke!" His eyebrow twitched at the lack of honorifics she was using. "That's your name, right?" She laughed, standing up from her crouching position, lighting her cigarette. Her hair was in a messy braid again, and she was of course wearing something inappropriate for the weather. Sasuke didn't mean to stare at her ripped jean shorts, but he ended up doing so anyway. How could she possibly wear those when it could snow any minute?

"Hey, stop staring!" She gave him a crooked grin, waving a hand in front of his face. He snapped out of it, glaring at her. Eri chuckled, her eyes closing as she smiled. Sasuke thought she looked kind of like a fox, reminding (yet again, ugh) him of Naruto. "So what do you do before you're at this bus stop? School? Lab? Part-time job?"

Didn't she get it by now?

The bus came (his lord and saviour, really) on cue, the both of them getting on, sitting in their respective seats. She turned back to wave at him, giving him that same crooked grin again. She shoved her ear buds in, looking to the front of the bus.

The fourth time came around, and it really wasn't what Sasuke expected at all. There she was, sitting with this brother, chatting happily about something that made her laugh loudly. His brother seemed to be enjoying himself, a soft smile on his face.

Sasuke had been asked to join them in their crowded table of two, a chess board between them. The game had already started and Itachi was probably going easy on her since she was winning at his game. Leave it to his brother to do those kinds of things. Sasuke had refused (she smelled weird!), but Itachi had pressed on, a small smirk on his face. Eri had a bright smile, some sort of magnetic force pulling the younger Uchiha to towards them.

Sasuke eventually slumped into the chair beside his brother, toying with his phone while the two played chess. How his brother knew her, he had no idea. They were talking about some science laboratory, something Sasuke had zero interest in since he didn't really have a choice in what he did. Well, he wasn't particularly eavesdropping till Itachi mentioned Watanabe Laboratories, one of the most well-known scientific research centres in their country , and quite possibly the world. How Eri kept up with Itachi's conversation was a surprise, since she seemed to look quite the… troublesome child at that.

"Sasuke, you should step up your game. Erita-chan well be taking over the laboratories in a couple of years while you finish your schooling, you know." Sasuke looked up from his phone, furrowing his eyebrows at his brother.

He snorted, "Someone like Eri-san is going to lead the largest science research centre in the world? Don't make me laugh."

The next few moments were too fast for both brothers to predict, Eri dumping all the contents of her glass into Sasuke's face, the liquid dripping down his clothing, soaking his upper chest. He growled, and looked at her, but her growl was more defiant than his. She spat out a brief comment laced with hurt and a simple, 'go fuck yourself', leaving the two Uchihas in their surprised state.

Sasuke didn't think this was really necessary. Neither were the flowers or the box of chocolates in his hand, but Itachi had thrust them into his arms, teaching his younger brother how to talk to girls who were mad at them.

Again, of course Itachi would know how to do these kinds of things.

But here he was, in front of Watanabe Erita's door, scowling to himself as he rang the doorbell. There were some muffled voices, and the door clicked open, revealing a woman who looked not much older than his mom. Sasuke could see where Eri got her squinty gray eyes from, but other than that, Eri didn't really look much like the woman before him.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun, you've grown so much since the last time I saw you!" Sasuke blinked a couple of times, not really recognizing the woman. "I'm sure you don't remember me, but you used to come over to play with Eri." _Haah?_

"Sorry to intrude, but I'm here to see Eri-san."

The woman placed a hand on her chest, grinning widely. "Ah, no way! Hopefully you can get her out of this rut. She hasn't left her room other than to go to school, and I've been worried about her." Mrs. Watanabe let him into their home, the smell of flowers hitting him. Did Eri really live here? She always smelled like smoke and alcohol to him. Mrs. Watanabe offered something to drink, but Sasuke politely declined. He would apologize to the foolish girl and then be on his way. Simple as that.

Of course, it wasn't as simple as he thought it would be as soon as he heard the girl stomp through her house, grumpily throwing her ashtray and lighter on to the table, an unlit cigarette in her mouth. She snarled at him after she lit her cigarette, taking a hit from the cancer-stick. Nothing but silence passed between them, Eri glaring at Sasuke's forehead, hoping to burn a hole into it.

"I came to apologize." Sasuke bowed his head low, said forehead almost hitting the glass table. This was beyond agonizing. He'd rather dig a hole and bury himself six feet under.

Eri snorted and it was already demoralizing having to formally apologize to someone who looked like they came out of the back of some truck, let alone having them decline his apology. But she muttered out, "No, you were right. I'm nowhere near anything like a prodigy such as yourself or Itachi." She frowned, the hand that was holding the cigarette up by the index and middle finger trembling. "I'm a disgrace."

Sasuke was quite taken aback. It wasn't in his plans to have her admit to his words. Although Sasuke had honestly said it out of spite that someone like her, who didn't do a damn thing, was entrusted with something so powerful such as a laboratory. He almost felt bad. Almost.

She ended up crying, wet globby tears rolling down her round face, her gray orbs disappearing behind swollen eyes. _She already looked ugly, why bother with tears?_ Sasuke was stumped. Itachi didn't teach him how to deal with crying women! She was finally calming down, and Sasuke took this chance to offer her some chocolates. Itachi said women liked sweet things, and even if they didn't, the action of giving them something was usually enough to erase their anger. Anything to get her sobbing to stop reaching his ears.

Eri smiled to herself, taking a piece from the box and popping it into her mouth. "I can guess Itachi put you up to this, but thank you, I appreciate it." Sasuke frowned. _Was it really that obvious?_ Sasuke didn't say much, but he guessed that Eri took the liberty to fill the empty space with her reasoning behind her tears. She told him that she was actually a step-child of the head at Watanabe Laboratories, the head unable to actually produce an heir due to some health issue. He had met Eri's Mom shortly after her Mom divorced her biological father, and they ended up getting married.

Eri did not like her step-dad one bit. He was strict and mean, and looked down at Eri because of the poor life choices she made. She also told him that she tried running away several years earlier, to go find her father, but he had died in some motorcycle accident, the only things left behind were his guitar and lighter.

"My real Dad is the only reason I live today." She fiddled with the lighter in her hand, opening it and showing the inside of the base lid. Sasuke glanced at it, reading **_Live on, Erita_**. She smiled to herself, closing the lighter and setting it on the table. "Also, sorry for acting like I didn't know who you were. You did not change one bit, though as a child you were much wussier." Eri snickered, Sasuke almost on the verge of respecting her. "But hey, look at you now, you exceed everyone in your year and then there's me; I'm barely passing." She gave her signature crooked grin, and Sasuke couldn't help but to admire her stupidity. Of course, that's what he'd label it as.

That ended their fifth encounter, and Sasuke really hoped he wouldn't see much of her again.

But, unfortunately for him, he was wrong.

Sasuke was signed up to be an upper-year tutor for lower years, but somehow ended up with a student in his own year. _Perhaps that student was just here for advice?_ Sasuke didn't know, but he showed up to the classroom, wanting to leave as soon as his eyes hit Eri's form, the girl sitting next to the window, looking upwards to the crying sky.

He sighed and walked in, sitting at one of the tables. Eri turned around, a big smile spreading across her face. She exchanged a greeting of surprise, but shockingly got straight down to work with the Uchiha, answering all her questions. She was actually quite intelligent, but worked diligently to keep up with him. Gears constantly clicked in her mind, and Sasuke had to praise her a little for that one.

"You learn fast."

She beamed at him, her silver canine tooth slightly mocking him. "Don't end up falling in love with me and my talents, Sasuke, I'm pretty sure that's against your contract anyway!" He smiled a little to himself.

_Slightly-stupid, crazy, foolish girl._

The numbers rocketed and Sasuke couldn't count all the times he met Eri anymore on both hands and feet. Whether it was at school or at the bus stop, or sometimes he caught her at his house playing chess with Itachi. He found out that Itachi never went easy on her at chess and that she had successfully beat him several times already. She really was something.

At times he would catch himself sitting at the patio with her, having long conversations of nothingness. Most of the time he just sat and she would do the talking, Sasuke listening to her babbling mouth and mind, wondering how she could have so much energy to talk about absolutely nothing. They would talk for hours and she would usually end up falling asleep on him, as the stars came out to play. Sasuke didn't really understand girls much, but she really was the embodiment of confusing.

Sasuke looked over to the sleeping girl, all bundled up on the sofa as it got too cold for them to stay outside. Her hair was in that same messy braid, flyaway hair pieces all over the place. Her chest rose steadily as she breathed in and out, a bit of drool dripping down her mouth.

_Seriously, this was the future of science?_

He smiled to himself, leaning over her to tighten the bundle of blankets around her lithe form.

Months pass and Sasuke grew his tolerance to understand her babbling more. They were sitting in her patio again, a couple of blankets wrapped around each person. Star-gazing was one of the things they liked doing together, as long as Sasuke didn't have to talk. "Hey, Sasuke?" Her voice was small almost thoughtful as she stared up into the skies. Well, he spoke too soon. "What does love mean to you?"

Sasuke stared at her, his eyebrows slightly furrowing. They've had plenty of conversations, but they generally stayed away from such affectionate discussions as they were both very different people and were on two very different pages.

"Perhaps you can't answer me, but," She smiled, "I was just wondering what you thought of it."

He really wasn't much of a talker, but he itched to answer her. "I find it hard to believe that it exists. Even then, where there is love, there is hatred."

She nodded at his answer, but even Sasuke was unsure of what he said. It was an abstract topic, much more abstract than the latest art showcasing at the local gallery. She seemed to mull over his answer, flicking the top of her lighter once again. He figured out she did that when she was deep in her own mind.

"I wonder what it feels like, Sasuke." She lit up a cigarette, casting an orange glow at the end of it, brightening her face every time she took a puff out of it. "Pretty sure my Dad would still be in love with my Mom if he were still alive. Poor old man." Eri chuckled to herself. "Do you have any interest in the girls at school, Sasuke?"

"I don't have time for them."

She laughed, though he didn't really say anything particularly funny. "You're always bombarded at school, I feel kinda sorry for you. I've gotten one love letter in my entire life, and even then, it was from this little guy when I was a kid." Her eyes twinkled and it made him shiver a little. "I think I still have it, let me go dig it up real quick. Don't leave!" She marched into the house, Sasuke smiling to himself. She could do nothing, but amuse him with everything she had. No wonder his brother liked having her over so much.

Eri came back down, a card made out of red construction paper in her hand. She plopped back down, another unlit cigarette in her mouth. "Dear Eri-chan, your hair is really long, you should put it up. But other than that, you're okay. Let's be friends?" She laughed, biting her lip to contain herself. "Signedm Uchiha Sasuke."

His eyes widened, snatching the red thing away from her. His eyes skimmed the familiar, chicken-scratch writing, not really believing that his younger self was such a dunce. Beneath the words was a horrible picture drawn my him, of him and Eri holding hands. "This is not a love letter."

"Flip it over, smart one!"

"P.S. I love you, but only if you stop hitting me with your hair." He muttered out loud, his cheeks tinging pink with embarrassment. _What the hell?_ Did he really write this? Why can't he remember this or how he played with Eri when they were younger?

She plucked the card out of his hands, placing it on to the table. "You were a cute kid, Sasuke. Too bad you don't remember much."

"Why is that?"

"At the time we met," The cigarette made crackling noises as she lit it. "My parents were still together. My Dad played a mean prank on you and you got so scared that you ended up blocking it out from your memory." She shrugged as if it wasn't that big of a deal. "Too bad, you proposed to me only moments before he ruined your life." She gave a loud chuckle, not really helping with Sasuke's ego.

He didn't understand the way emotions worked. He had always been the type to keep it suppressed, being nonchalant about everything. But when he saw her laugh at his expressions, or look at him in a way she hasn't shown before (not even to Itachi!), Sasuke couldn't help but feel slightly accomplished at some game. He didn't notice the way he would sometimes stare at her, drool dripping from her mouth and all, but felt at peace when he was with her. There wasn't a gravity in the galaxy that could compare to the way Eri kept him on his feet. She was enlightening and fresh, and though she smelled of cigarettes and alcohol, he learned that those smells would be what he'd call home, eventually.

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A little sweet one-shot for the weekend. This was inspired by the song Body Gold (Louis the Child Remix) by Oh Wonder. It's a lovely song and I highly suggest listening to it! Hope everyone's weekend is swell!

tofufuu


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